Key-chain reel



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laadde@ WILLIAM BEST, OF HICAGO, XLLENOS.

nn'rscrrarn naar.

Application led July 23, 1923 Serial No. 653,300.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM BEST, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful improvement in Key-Chain Reels, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in key chain reels of the type inwhich the key chain may be drawn from a housing, and will be returnedthereto when the tension is relieved froml the chain, and it consists inthe combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described andclaimed. .sin object of my invention is to simplify i e construction ofspring reels for key chains, so as to provide a device which can bemanufactured and sold at relatively small cost.

.5i further object of my invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed, which may be readily assembled or taken apart, owing to itssimplicity of construe tion.

il. further object of my invention is to provide a spring reel for keychains, in which the tension of the spring may be readily varied oradjusted at will.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming partof this application, in which Figure 1 is a face view of the device,

Figure 2 is a central sectional View,

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and p Figure 4c isa detail view sho-wing the attachment of the key.

1n carrying out my invention, 1 provide a saucer-shaped housing 1,having a central cylindrical boss 2 on its inner side. This boss isprovided with a central bore 3, terminating in a reamed recess 4e.

The reel proper consists of a tapered hollow body portion 5, having aninwardly extending annular flange 6 arranged to fit over the boss 2, thelatter serving as a shaft about which the reel may revolve. rllhe reelis provided with an exterior circumferential flange 7 for holding thechain 8 in position. The latter is preferably of the ball type, and issecured to the surface of the 'a spiral spring 15.

tapered portion of the reel preferably by means of a Cottery pin, asshown at 9. The chain passes out through a ball-shaped guide member 10,Which is secured to and forms part of the housing 1.

A cover portion 11 is provided on its exterior with a pair of metalguide loops 11. On the opposite side of the plate 11 is provided acentral boss 12, which is threaded internally to receive a screw 13. Theboss 12 is provided with a hook` 14 arranged to enter on opening in theend of rlhe opposite end of this spiral spring is secured to a pin 16,which extends from the flange 6 to an inwardly turned annular flange 17at the opposite end of the reel.

From thel foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood. In assembling themechanism, the reel, with the chain thereon, is placed in position onthe boss, and the end of the spring is passed over the hook 14. Theplate 11 is now turned, and as it turns the chain is wound up, until astop member, such as a rubber or leatherl disk 18, is drawn up againstthe end f the ball-shaped guide member 10. 1f more tension is desired onthe spring, 'the plate 11 is turned, using the loops 12 as a handle. Theplate 11 is provided with a tongue 19 arranged to enter notches 2O inthe body portion. l.Vhen the proper tension has been secured, the screw13 is tightened, thus holding all the parts in position.

When it is desired to use the keys which may be carried upon the end ofthe chain, the latter are grasped and pulled outwardly, whenfthe chainwill Wind up the spring as it is uncoiled. 0n releasing the keys, thespring will return the chain to the reel. The tapered portion of thereelprevents the convolutions of the chain from overlapping. The loops 12,besides serving as handles for turning the plate 11, also serve as ameans for attachment to a belt 21, and thus have a double function.

1t will be seen that the device is relatively simple. The parts may bereadily taken apart for inspection, or for any other reason, and just asreadily reassembled.

I am aware that spring reels for key chains are not broadly new,l butthe improvement lies, as stated, in simplifying the parts, withoutdeparting in any Way from the effectiveness of the device.

l claim:

l. In a hey ohain reel, a saucer-shaped housing having a centralinwardly extend ing boss, a tapered reel mounted 'for revolution on saidboss, a cover portion having a boss extending toward said first namedboss, and means for securing said bosses together.

2. ln a key chain reel, a saucer-shaped housing having a centralinwardly extend ing boss, a tapered reel mounted for revolution on saidboss, a cover portion having a boss extending` toward said lirst namedboss, means for securing said bosses together, and a spiral springhaving one end secured to the boss on said Cover and the other endsecured to said reel.

3. A lrey chain reel comprising a saucershaped housing having a guidemember at one side thereoic and being provided with an inwardlyextending central cylindrical boss, said boss having a central 1oore, atapered reel having an inwardly extending annular iange arranged to bearon said boss, a cover member having an inwardly extending threaded boss,and a screw arranged to extend through the first named boss and beingthreaded into the second named boss.

e. A key chain reel comprising a sancershaped housing having a guidemember at one side thereof and being provided with an inwardly extendingcentral cylindrical boss,

said boss having a central bore, a tapered reel having an inwardlyextending annular {iange arranged to bear on said boss, a cover ineniberhaving' an inwardly extending threaded boss, serew arranged to extendthrough the first named boss and being threaded into the second namedboss, a spiral spring seoui'ed to said second named boss at one end, anda pin projecting across the interior oit said reel for holding theopposite ends ot said spi al spring.

5. A. key ohain reel Comprising a saueershaped housing having a guideinoniber at one side therooE and being provided with an inwardlyextending Central cylindrical boss. said boss having a central bore, atapered reel having an inwardly extending an nular flange arranged tobear on said boss, a oover member having an inwardly extending threadedboss, a sorew arranged to extend through the first named boss and beingthreaded into the second named boss, a spiral spring secured to saidseeond named boss at one end, a pin projecting aeross the interior ofsaid reel for holding the opposite ends of said spiral spring, a pair ofspaced apart Y metal loops carried on the outside of the eover, andmeans preventing the rotation of the cover with respect to the housing.

WILLIAM BEST.

